


Afterwards

by Good_beans



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: M/M, but once again I do not want, this one could also probably be platonic if you really wanted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:20:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24956734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Good_beans/pseuds/Good_beans
Summary: Things between Python and Forsyth are tense during the fleeing of Zofia Castle.
Relationships: Fols | Forsyth/Python
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	Afterwards

**Author's Note:**

> At the end of the Siege of Zofia Castle DLC, Forsyth and Python have a little argument. Basically Python tells him he'll never be a knight, Forsyth says "I hate you," and I was very bitter that we never got to see them make up afterwards. This takes place probably within a few hours after that in-game scene.

Icy rain beat down onto the group, trickling through their dented armor and filling their boots. They trudged down the muddy pathway, everyone silent. The sky was growing darker by the second; the sun must have just set behind the thick clouds. 

“We there yet?” Python muttered. 

Forsyth glanced over. “No. Our destination is far south. We’ll probably stop for the night, then travel several more days.” He sounded tense and terse.

“ _Days?!_ Jeez, why didn’t they build this hideout up here?”

“Because we expected to have the castle up here,” he snapped. They were silent for another minute. They both looked straight ahead. Python could feel anger coming off the other soldier in waves.

“Hey, you’re not still upset about what I said before, right?”

Without moving his gaze, Forsyth replied, “you were just speaking your mind. I cannot fault you for that.”

“Oh, really? You fault me for everything.”

There was no answer.

“Listen,” he continued, “I want ya to know that I was only saying--”

“-- I understood just fine what you were saying.” Forsyth said through gritted teeth. “You spoke honestly. _Realistically_. And if that’s how you truly feel, then so be it.”

“Aw, come on, don’t be like that.”

“I said so. Be. It.” 

Python opened his mouth to speak, but another knight beckoned to Forsyth. He splashed over to him, and the two began discussing reports or plans. Their voices drowned out by the rain and footsteps. 

The archer found himself walking alone. His fists clenched. He shivered. He was not looking forward to making camp in weather like this. With a sigh, the man crossed his arms. He tucked his chin to his chest, wondering what the hell he was doing here, anyway. How’d he get dragged into this whole mess? 

A sudden shout came from the crowd. Python swung around. Another cry. Those around him looked equally confused. He couldn’t see Forsyth, and prayed that the man’s hopelessly heroic side hadn’t gotten him into any trouble. Commotion appeared at the front of the group. The archer looked frantically around, but it was impossible to make out anything in the dark woods through all that rain. Finally, a single word reached them:

_Ambush_

Python watched nearby soldiers drop, arrows sprouting from their armor. The Deliverance was thrown into chaos. Men and women drew their weapons. Some tried to run together, others thought it best to scatter. Now Python really hoped his friend wasn’t charging into danger, as he had a habit of doing. He notched an arrow within seconds, still unable to see anything in the surrounding forest. Despite the shouting and clanging and running, his aim was steady. That is, until a mass of frantic Deliverance knights came crashing into him from behind. The man lost his balance and fell.

He grunted as he landed facedown in the mud. He had just narrowly saved himself from injury by releasing the tension in his arms as he went down. He heard the bow crack, but at least it wasn’t his arm. 

For a brief moment Python remained there on the ground. He was now useless without his weapon, and perhaps his safest chance at this point was to play dead. Better to lie here than risk getting shot with no way to fight back. And so he waited; he listened to the sounds of battle while lying on his stomach, cold, sore and nearly drowning in mud and rain. Once again, he wondered why he was here in this miserable position at all.

Without warning, someone grabbed his shoulders and threw him over onto his back. He gasped, getting a faceful of rain. He raised his hands to fight. Instead, he found himself face-to-face with Forsyth.

“ _Python!_ Python, say something!” His friend’s eyes were wide with panic. The archer had never seen him like that.

“I’m fine, I’m fine!”

“You… you are?” Forsyth scanned his body. His intense stare returned to Python’s eyes. All of his muscles relaxed in relief, but his face and voice remained strained. “Mother Mila, Python! I thought -- Well -- The ambush started and I -- you were -- I saw you -- I ran over here as fast as I could -- you were lying like that -- and I… and... ”

“Ahh...” Python felt his chest tighten with guilt, realizing he’d given his friend such a scare. “But don’t worry,” his words sounded relaxed and dismissive, “I was just--” 

Forsyth leaned down and crushed him into a hug, something he hadn’t done since they were much younger. “Woah there! Uh, it’s okay. Forsyth…” he said, really hoping no one else saw them. The soldier continued squeezing him, which proved a bit awkward with all the armor between them. 

“ _Aaaalright…_ ” Python said at length, gently trying to remove himself from the embrace. He could see the ambush was over, and soldiers were going around checking on one another.

Forsyth pulled back. His face was soaked, but Python got the feeling that it wasn’t just rainwater. He held his shoulders, saying earnestly, “I’m just so glad you’re alive.”

“Yeah,” Python accepted his help off the ground. “Same to you.” He surveyed the area. Everyone had calmed down, and healers scurried between the wounded. Python moved to rejoin the group, and felt his friend lean into him when they took their first step. He looked down and saw the shaft of an arrow jutting out of Forsyth’s armor on his right leg.

“What the --? _You’re injured?!”_

“Oh, uh…” Forsyth glanced at the injury, “it’s nothing too serious. I was going to get it checked out after the more fatal wounds were treated.”

“ _You idiot!_ ” Forsyth winced as the archer continued shouting. “And you said you _ran_ over here? What’s wrong with you?” Python suddenly grabbed the man by the middle, and heaved him over his shoulder. It was something he hadn’t done since they were much younger.

He ignored Forsyth’s protests and flailing. He carried him over to where a female healer was working. The rain had let up, and a soft drizzle surrounded them as he set the soldier down. 

The cleric finished her spell, and turned to the pair. 

“Could you help this _absolute moron_ over here with the arrow in his shin?” Python asked with a roll of his eyes. Forsyth shot him a glare, but remained quiet as he removed the armor plates.

“Oh, my,” the woman examined the injury. “This looks pretty bad. Did you continue using this leg after getting shot?” 

“He ran through the woods on it,” Python said with accusation.

“What?” She looked horrified, “why would you do a thing like that?”

“To save him,” Forsyth said with accusation.

“I didn’t need saving,” Python said with some embarrassment.

“Well I didn’t know that,” Forsyth said with some embarrassment.

“You could have seriously injured yourself, you know.” The cleric lifted her staff. “You’ve caused a bit more damage already, but I can fix it.”

“Erm… thank you.” Forsyth hung his head as she performed her magic. The two thanked her, and she walked away to help elsewhere. Neither of them spoke, even when the march resumed. The rain was gone completely by then, and patches of sky were appearing. 

Python and Forsyth walked side by side. Python’s clothing was still wet and covered in mud. His hair was wet, and his body shook from the chill. Now, however, he no longer wondered why he was in this mess; something else was on his mind.

“Hey, Forsyth?” he broke the silence. His voice lacked its usual tones of nonchalance and humor. It sounded so solemn, his friend looked to his face in surprise.

“Yes?” 

Python’s gaze was downcast. “That was real selfless, ya know, coming to make sure I was okay even when you weren’t. Real selfless. And… chivalrous.” He looked up at the sky. Following his eyes, Forsyth noticed all of the stars.

Python smiled. “You’re gonna make a great knight.”


End file.
